The Greatest Gift the Church Has Ever Received

This time of year, we talk a lot about gifts.
We give them.
We receive them.
And we’re reminded—rightly—that generosity is woven into the Christmas story.

But as meaningful as gifts can be, there is something they can never replace.

Presence.

You can give generously and still be distant.
You can provide what someone needs and still not truly be with them.
And that reality helps us understand why Christmas is not ultimately about what God gave—but who God gave.

The heart of Christianity is captured in a single name: Immanuel.

“God with us.”

That name is not decorative. It is not sentimental. And it is certainly not incidental. It is the theological center of the gospel.

When Isaiah first spoke the Immanuel promise, it was not into a peaceful or faithful moment. It was spoken into fear, failure, and unbelief. King Ahaz was afraid. The nation was trembling. Leadership had failed spiritually. And instead of promising better circumstances or stronger defenses, God promised His presence. The message was clear: before God would fix what was broken around them, He would address the distance between Himself and His people.

Centuries later, Matthew tells us that this promise was fulfilled in Jesus. The angel announced not a plan, a movement, or a philosophy—but a person. Jesus would save His people from their sins, and His name would be Immanuel. God did not remain distant. He did not send instructions from heaven. He entered our condition, took on flesh, and lived among us.

That truth matters—not just at Christmas, but for the life of the church.

We often talk about the gifts Christ gives His people: leaders, Scripture, ministry, and mission. All of those matter. All of them are necessary. But they are not the greatest gift. The church exists, not because it has the right tools or the right plans, but because Christ Himself is present with His people.

The church is not sustained by strategy alone.
It is sustained by a present Lord.

And the promise of Immanuel did not end at the manger. Matthew begins his Gospel with “God with us,” and he ends it with Jesus’ words: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The same Christ who came in humility remains with His church today—filling it, guiding it, and strengthening it as His people worship, serve, and move into the future.

This Sunday, we will step back from the busyness of the season and reflect on the foundation beneath everything else we do.

The greatest gift the church has ever received is not a vision plan, a ministry role, or a calling.

It is Immanuel—God with us.

We invite you to join us as we open God’s Word and remember why the church exists at all—and why we never walk alone.

1. Why is it important to remember that the Immanuel promise in Isaiah was spoken into fear and failure rather than comfort and faith?
2.  In Matthew 1:21–23, why does Matthew connect Jesus’ saving work from sin directly to the name “Immanuel”?
3.  Christ Himself is the church’s greatest gift—not just the things He gives. In what ways can churches or individuals rely on plans, tools, or programs while quietly assuming Christ’s presence instead of depending on it?
4.  How should Jesus’ promise, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20), change the way we approach worship, service, and ministry today?
5.  What area of your life most needs the reminder that “God is with us,” and how would living in that truth change your perspective or actions this week?

Those Serving
CALL TO WORSHIP/PRAYER
Jason Schofield
SONG LEADER
Jim Grushon
LEAD LORD'S SUPPER
Greg Morrison
 ASSIST LORD’S SUPPER
Roy Pyle
David Williams
Shane McLaughlin
Luke Powell
SCRIPTURE READING
James Passmore
Matthew 1:21-23
PREACHING
Matthew Allen
CLOSING PRAYER
Drew Triplett
CLOSING COMMENTS
Boyd Hastings
WELCOME CENTER
Pam Grushon // Kathy Downey
USHERS
Billy Robbins // Jim Rutter
COMMUNION PREP
Gwen Price
CLOSING THE BUILDING
Richard Jacobs